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Texas Revolution
Texas Revolution launched in BrainPOP Social Studies December 14, 2016. Summary In the beginning of the video, Moby is showing photographs off his tablet. He and Tim are going on a Texas vacation involving barbecued food. They have already gone through Austin, Dallas, Houston, and Corpus Christi. The video opens with Tim and Moby at a barbecue stand somewhere in Texas, feasting on brisket and ribs drenched in barbecue sauce. Tim utters a Texan saying that he is full. As he asks where the next stop is, Moby unrolls the map to reveal a large letter, asking about the Texas Revolution. At the end of the video, Tim says that the barbeque they are eating is "the best barbeque in Texas". After Tim says another Texan saying, confusing Moby, Tim then says, "If the hen dips snuff, look under the wing for a can". As he says this, a chicken flies onto their table. A confused Moby gets up and chases after the chicken. Appearances *Tim *Moby Trivia * The locations that appear in Moby's vacation photographs are: ** Texas State Capitol, Austin, Texas. ** George W. Bush Presidential Library, University Park, Texas. ** Space Center, Houston Houston, Texas. ** USS Lexington, Corpus Christi, Texas. Transcript Texas Revolution/Transcript Quiz Texas Revolution/Quiz FYI Famous Faces The Alamo may be more famous than the individual men who fought and died there. But it was the bravery and sacrifice of these underdog rebels that carved the path to Texas's independence. Here are just a few of the heroes of the Texas Revolution: * William Travis: Commander of the forces at the Alamo, Travis sent a message to Major General Sam Houston urgently requesting reinforcements. He signed his now legendary letter with the words, "Victory or Death." This defiant phrase came to symbolize the courageous stand at the Alamo, the resolve of Texian revolutionaries, and the identity of the state itself. Travis's 200 troops took down more than 600 enemy soldiers before eventually being overrun by Santa Anna's army. * Juan Seguín: Seguín carried Travis's letter through enemy lines. He also fought in the Battle of San Jacinto, later becoming a Texas senator and then Mayor of San Antonio. As other Texans began to push for the expulsion of Tejanos, Seguín's former comrades turned against him. Accused of treason and expelled from his home, the born-and-bred Texan died a man without a country. * David "Davy" Crockett: Even during his lifetime, Davy Crockett was widely hailed as the "king of the wild frontier." He had a national reputation as a coonskin cap-wearing sharpshooter, folk hero, and teller of tall tales. The man and the myth both owe a great deal to a popular play that debuted in 1831. Lion of the West starred a character modeled on Crockett and helped cement his legend, years before he died at the Alamo. * James "Jim" Bowie: Known for his signature fixed-blade knife that he designed himself, Bowie first gained notoriety for overcoming extensive injuries to defeat one of his attackers during a brawl. The volunteer forces at the Alamo were under his command until he was sidelined by illness. The story goes that, from his sickbed, Bowie continued shooting at invading soldiers until the moment of his death. * Stephen F. Austin: Americans consider Austin to be the founder of Texas. He oversaw the empresario program that provided land incentives for settlers to develop early colonies there. His initial opposition to the revolution made him a controversial figure, but he ultimately sided with the rebels, fighting under Juan Seguín at San Antonio. Speaking at his funeral, Sam Houston called Austin "The Father of Texas." Language Texans have always been proud to do things their own way—some would even say they have their own unique way of speaking! Here are a few fun phrases you can use to "talk Texan." * Acceptable: It's better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick. * Conceited: He's all hat and no cattle. * Dishonest: He's so crooked, if he swallowed a nail, he'd spit up a corkscrew. * Argumentative: She could start a fight in an empty house. * Dry: The catfish are carrying canteens. * Busy: She's jumping like spit on a hot skillet. * Skinny: Nothing between the horns and hooves but hide. * Small: She'd have to stand up to look a rattler in the eye. * Poor: If a trip around the world cost a dollar, I couldn't get to the Oklahoma line. * Sick: He's got a hitch in his gitalong. * Fast: She can blow out the lamp and jump into bed before it gets dark. * Cheap: He'll squeeze a nickel till the buffalo screams. * Rare: That's scarce as hen's teeth. * Sad: He looks like the cheese fell off his cracker. * Far: I had to grease the wagon twice before I hit the main road. Source: Texas Monthly. Personalities Long before he led Texians to victory in the Texas Revolution, Sam Houston was already known as a vibrant character whose personality was as big and colorful as the state itself. The larger-than-life war hero— rumored to be 6'6", but likely closer to 6'2"—went on to hold numerous elected offices, including first president of the newly liberated republic. Given Houston's central role in the history and lore of the Lone Star State, it's no surprise that the largest city in Texas bears his name. Houston's political career took off after the War of 1812, during which he fought valiantly through repeated injuries. Future President Andrew Jackson, then a Major General, was impressed: He assigned Houston to be an agent charged with clearing out Cherokee Indians from Tennessee. Houston, however, was sympathetic to the Cherokees. He spent his teenage years living among them, learning their language and customs. As a sign of protest, he showed up to an official meeting decked out in traditional Cherokee garb. Houston was reprimanded and his loyalty questioned, leading to his immediate resignation from his post. Despite this setback, Houston continued his political rise, while refusing to rein in his personal quirks. In Tennessee, he served successfully as a district attorney, congressman, and then governor. During his re-election campaign, he had a very heated and public disagreement with his wife. Amid rumors of infidelity and alcoholism, Houston resigned once again. Soon after, he abandoned his wife, traveled to Indian lands in Arkansas, married a Cherokee woman, and continued indulging his drinking habit. He earned the nickname "Big Drunk," but still took regular trips to Washington D.C. to campaign against government abuse of Cherokees. During a particularly ugly dispute on the floor of Congress, Houston beat Representative William Stanberry with a hickory cane! He was charged with assault, but avoided any punishment by skipping town for Mexico. His fighting spirit served Houston well when he became Major General of the Texas Army. Later, as president of Texas, he transformed himself into a peacemaker, easing tensions and improving relations with both Mexico and Texas's American Indian population. After Texas was annexed to the U.S., Houston served his state, first in the Senate, and then as its governor. Although Houston famously owned slaves and spoke out against abolition, he didn't believe the practice should be allowed to expand any farther. As governor, Houston opposed Texas's secession from the Union in 1861 over the slavery issue. When he refused to take an oath of loyalty to the Confederacy, he was booted out of office! That was the last scandal of his prestigious, provocative, and often amusing political career. Houston passed away two years later, in 1863. In Depth Before there were Texans or even Texians, there were Tejanos. Descended from Spanish and Mexican families who first settled the Texas frontier in the late 1600s, Tejanos established the laws and traditions that would form the bedrock of the territory, republic, and state of Texas. Over time, elements of American Indian culture, plus contributions from European and American immigrants, began to mix with this initial Spanish-Mexican identity. Tejano heritage grew into a rich fusion of customs and influences. Even the name "Texas" reflects the state's diverse roots. In the language of the Caddo Indians, "tejas" means "friends." The Spanish used the term to refer to the Caddo people and the area where they lived—what we now call East Texas. As more white settlers moved into the Texas region, they adopted and shared Tejano practices. Most people assume the cowboy, the ultimate symbol of frontier life, was an American invention. In fact, the very first cowboys were Tejanos, though they were called vaqueros (cow-men). The mythology and iconography of the American West, from the distinctive boots and hats, to words like "mustang," "corral," and "lasso," can all be traced back to the vaquero lifestyle. The good ol' Texan rodeo? There's nothing more Tejano than that! Tejano music is a cultural mash-up, too. When Eastern European immigrants arrived in Texas in the mid-19th century, their polka tunes were an instant hit with Tejano musicians. Polka's signature instrument, the accordion, packed quite a punch—without needing any amplification! Like the cowboy, the accordion is now seen as totally Texan. The Tejano exchange is also evident in perhaps its greatest gift to contemporary culture: Tex-Mex food. What many Americans think of as Mexican dishes—nachos, burritos, and fajitas—all originate from Texan twists. Cumin, a staple of Tex-Mex, is actually a North African spice. But Spanish immigrants brought it with them to the New World. So, besides being delicious, your grandma's chili is a perfect metaphor for the American ideal: many different cultures coming together to make something entirely new and original. Did You Know The phrase Manifest Destiny was coined in 1845, by New York journalist John L. O'Sullivan. He used it in articles urging the government to annex Texas and to seize the Oregon Territory from Great Britain. America, he wrote, had a manifest—meaning "obvious"—destiny "to overspread the continent allotted by Providence." O'Sullivan, along with many Americans, believed that America was sheltered and guided by Providence, or God's protection. On the surface, O'Sullivan suggested that acquiring more land was tied to America's democratic principles. The young country had a responsibility to expand its "great experiment of liberty and federated self-government." The underlying focus of his mission, however, was much more basic: Make more room for the ever-growing American population, or as he put it, "our yearly multiplying millions." For O'Sullivan, more territory also meant greater influence overseas. His ideas were not new. European settlers had long viewed their conquests as divinely blessed. The concept was grounded in the idea that white Christian colonialists were inherently superior and more "civilized" than the indigenous peoples, who needed to be educated or "saved." These beliefs provided moral and religious justification for what many Europeans desired: more land, resources, and political power. O'Sullivan's "Manifest Destiny" was soon championed by expansionists, who had already been demanding that the U.S. government acquire as much of North America as possible. Many wanted to extend the northern border of the country up to the southern tip of Alaska. Expansionists also wanted the U.S. to annex Mexico, along with Cuba and other parts of Latin America. Although the call for Manifest Destiny died down during the Civil War, it was revived later in the 19th century. Proponents claimed even more boldly that the Anglo-Saxon heritage of Americans made them fit to rule over other races. It was, therefore, their "manifest destiny" to gain political and cultural control over lands in the Pacific and Caribbean. These theories persisted well into the 20th century. Supporters of the Spanish-American War used the phrase as grounds for America's acquisition of Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines. FYI Comic Category:BrainPOP Episodes Category:Social Studies Category:2016 episodes Category:Episodes in December Category:Hispanic Heritage Category:December 2016 Episodes